Columbus St. Dominic Church marked the Lenten season with both muted celebrations and special events that made the solemn penitential period deeply meaningful.
On Sunday, Feb. 26, parishioners celebrated Black History Month with a focus on heroic Black Catholics. At a luncheon for the occasion, speakers recounted the life of St. Josephine Bakhita, who was kidnapped as a girl in Sudan by slave traders, suffered beatings, cruelty and being sold repeatedly until she wound up in Italy where she was left in the care of the Canossian sisters. She went to court, won her freedom and spent the rest of her life in service to others as a Canossian sister.
The presentation also commemorated the selfless service of six African American candidates for sainthood: Venerable Father Augustus Tolton, Venerable Henriette DeLille and Venerable Pierre Toussaint; and Servants of God Sister Thea Bowman, Mother Elizabeth Lange and Julia Greeley.
In March, Beverly Thompson, who was director of religious education at St. Dominic for more than 20 years, offered a deep dive into the origins and meaning of traditional Lenten practices and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
She explained everything from the meaning of the word “Lent” (from the Old English word “lencten,” meaning “springtime”) to clarifying the obligations of fasting and abstinence as Catholics imitate Jesus’ 40 days in the desert fasting and praying.
Thompson also explained the significance of Adoration, the vestments, monstrance and other sacred objects and the various prayers and songs for this liturgy. It was a good primer for those unfamiliar with Adoration, a refresher for those already familiar and an invitation for all to make the special devotion part of their prayer life during Lent and beyond.
St. Dominic has Adoration on the first Friday of every month after 11 a.m. Mass and the second Sunday of each month following 11:30 a.m. Mass.
Also in March, the St. Dominic community witnessed the confirmation of eight young people. The Mass was a joy-filled combination of St. Dominic’s gospel Mass and the liturgical flavor of Cameroon West Africa where the students’ families are from.
Bishop Earl Fernandes conferred the sacrament and said how special it was to have an international gathering that included a Philippine priest (Father Ramon Owera, pastor), Father Jesse Chick from Cameroon and himself of Indian heritage.